Improvement in the manufacture of wood-screws



UNITEDr STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SIMEON BROOKS AND WILLIAM N. CLARK, OF CHESTER, CONNECTICUT.

MPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WOOD-SCREWS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 3,89 3, datedJannary23, 1845.

To` all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, SIMEON BROOKS and WILLIAM N. CLARK, of Chester, inthe county of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Machinery for Manufacturing Screws, whichare described as follows, reference being had to the annexed drawings ofthe same, making part of this specification, of which- Figure 2 is aside elevation of the combination of machinery for paring the head ofthe screw. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is acombination of machinery for nicking or scoring and discharging thescrew as .arranged for the operation` of scoring, the clip-catch beingengaged with the gage-screw. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the same,showing the trip-lever disengaged from the gage-screw. Fig. 6 is a frontelevation of the machine for j, threading the screw, showing one spindleand pair of jaws. Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse section of the same.Fig. 8 is a horizontal section of the dies for cutting the thread on theshanks. Fig. 9 is a vertical transverse section of the same through thecenter of the dies.

Machinery for paring the head of the screw,

4 represented in Figs. 2 and 3.-'lhe bed A,

standards B D, thumb-screw C2, for engaging the lever C, the lever C,for holding the paringtool, standards or pillars c c, spindle d, jaws E,for holding the blank screw to be pared, lever I, for moving the wedgefor closing the jaws on the blank, and other parts of the combination ofmachinery may be made in the usual or in the most improved manner.

The improvement desired to be secured by Letters Patent consists in thecombination of the two levers C and K with the spring r, by which theblank when pared is removed from the jaws of the spindle. The lever C,which is of the second order,is connected to the top of the standard Dby a bolt which serves as its fulcrum, having on its upper side, nearrthe middle, a protuberance P, containing a socket, into which isinserted the shank of the paring-tool, and a screw q, by which it isscrewed therein. This tool pares the head of the blank, which isinsertedinto the aperture in the center of the f-ace -plate F of therevolving spindle d. The lever K, operated by the descent of theafores'aidlever C for throwing out the spring-bow `r for discharging theround in the form of an inverted C-spring, and

then is bent horizontally toward the springbow rand in contact therewith it and behind it.

The spring-bow r, for discharging the blank after it is pared, is bentin the form of a bow made broader and thinner 4at one end than at theother end, the narrow end being secured firmly in a vertical position inthe bed A or other convenient place and the fiat end bent over andbrought down in front of and against the faceplate F of the spindle d0pposite the central aperture, into which the blank is inserted, wheresaid flattened end of the bowspring r is forked or made concave forcatching the head of the blank. In putting in a blank to be pared theaforesaid concave or forked end of the spring-bow will embrace the upperhalf of the blank immediately behind the head. When the head is pared,the lever C is depressed, and coming in contact with the short end ofthe lever K it depresses said short end and at the same time elevatesand bringsV forward the long or curved end against the spring-bow r,`which it pushes outward from the face-plate F, carrying with it theblank, which it discharges from the jaws, leaving them ready to receiveanother blank. The lever C being then raised and liberated from thelever K, the springbow r will return to its former position against theVface-plate F.

Combination of machinery for nicking or scoring the blanks, (see Figs. 4and 5.)-The improvement in this part of the machinery that we have made,and which we desire to have secured to us by Letters Patent, consists inthe form and arrangement of the lever e, to which the face-plate f isattached, in combination with the lever O2 and trip-lever h, with thelever H, for re-engaging the trip-lever with the gagescrew g. The frameA of this ma= chine is made of wrought or cast iron or any suitablematerial in sections and slotted inside for the reception of levers andother intermediate parts. On one side are any convenient number ofstands or pedestals'b. On the top of these pedestalsare boxes, in whichshort shafts B run with cog-wheels. On the ends ofthese short shafts arefitted circular 2 asse saws A5.V Each outside stand basa pieceV of iron,fastened on its outer side and projecting outward, serving as boxes fora countershaft C, which is about three feet long. On this counter-shaftare fitted other cogwheels, which gear into the aforesaid cog-wheels onthe said short shafts. On the counter-shaft are two pulleys D D-onetight and the other loose. The machine is driven by means of 'band andthe tight pulley at the rate of about fromthe upper end is a hole with apin put through 'it for a fulcrum. On the upper end of this leveropposite to the saw is a round face-plate f, in which is drilled a setof holes of different sizes, in which the blank for thescrew is placedfor nicking. This face-plate has a rotary motion given to it by the handof the operator when necessary to shift for different-sized blanks. Thisis done by slacking a nut a on the bolt that passes through theface-plate and the said lever e, to which it is fastened; or, instead ofa bolt passing through the face-plate, a center may be turned, servingasa bolt by which it may be fastened. This lever is constructed with anogee bend in it, so as to cause the face-plate to fall back from the sawagainst the punch o, by which the blank is removed from the face-platefor the reception of another blank, the punch being set on the end ofsaid piece of iron E and bent forward in such a position as to forcelthe end of the blank out of the face-plate. On the lower end of thislever is a screw g, which serves for a gage for determining the depth ofthis nick or score in the blank when put to its proper place andfastened with a stop-nut. Beneath vthe lever obliquely is a lever O2 ofthe third order, one end whereof is attached to the Hoor or frame by ahinge orjoint, as may be most convenient, and the other end is elevatedto an'angle of forty-ive degrees, bearing on a rest H, and in the upperend is a clip-catch h, inthe form ofV a lever about 4t-hree or fourinches long, having the fulcrum about one inch and one-fourth from thelower end, the short end of which is widened and made concave on theunder side. At the other end is placed a light spring 34, fastened ontheupper side of the lever which is always bearing against the upper sideof the aforesaid clipcatch, being thus arranged for the purpose ofbringing it to its proper place. The clip-catch is raised and broughtupon the gage-screw g by means of thelever H, which is depressed at theone end and raised at the other, bringing the end t' against the underside of the lever O2, by means of which connection of the catch h'withthe screw g the blank is borne up against the saw, and by another springQ, which is attached to the before-mentioned lever O2, bears thel blankon the face-plate against the saw until the nick or score is deepenough. The clip-catch h then disengages itself from the gage-screw gand the clip-catch drops on the lever H beneath, where it rests tillanother blank is ready to be nicked. This trip-catch hl has a tripmotion, which it receives from the lever H. The lever H has a squareturn or bend about the middle of it at K, Where its fulcrum k is placed,and on the outer end of which lever there is a handle H2, and on thelower end of said lever there is another bend t', made sidewise aboutthree inches from the end. This passes under the lever O2 opposite theclip-catch h and gives said catch its trip motion, so as to engageitself with the gage-screw g when the blank is required to be nicked. Atthe lower side of the face-plate a guide may be attached to conduct theblanks into a box when nicked.

This machine may be made t-o stand on legs or a bench, as may be mostconvenient, and4 it may be constructed with a greater or less number ofsaws, and its dimensions and proportions changed tO. suit the views ofthe construct-er.

The machine for threading the 19Ztm7c,(see Figs. G, 7, 8, and 9.)-Inthis machine we claim the manner of combining the gage l2, that operatesthe slide 22, containing the movable die s s, with the spindle l,containing the jaws 7, and driver for holding and turning' the blank bymeans of the lever l5 and lifting-rod 3 for simultaneously cutting thethread and giving it the required taper. The frame Ais made of suitablesize, strength, and material for containing and supporting the partshereinafter to be described. On the under side of the upper string-piece.D of the frame A gains or grooves are cut about nine inches distantfrom each other and corresponding gains are made in the upper side ofthe lower string-piece D. In these gains are inserted the uprights f,which are fastened by keys. These uprights are each about sixteen inchesvwide and twoinches thick, the lower end of each being circled out ofthe center, as at g. On these uprights are fastened the machines forthreading. AIn front, under these uprights, is arranged ak trough, Fig.30, running lengthwise of the frame and made tight, so as to holdliquids. In the inside of this trough are ways t' t', made of'iron y orwood, on which the frames containing the dies for the threading rest.This trough is attached to the lower string-piece D. Beneath this troughare short posts E to each machine, through which .a mortise is made forthe reception of a lever m, which serves for a treadle. A verticalrevolving spindle l works in an iron frame, which maybe made of anyconvenient size; but the frame which we generally use consists of abed-plate o, of

.suitable length, breadth, and thickness, fastened to the uprights,' asbefore mentioned, either by bolts or screws.` Near each end of thisbed-plate is an arm X, extending outward horizontally and parallel toeach other, made v of any convenient length. Near the ends of thicknessas the bed-piece, having a hole drilled through the outer end to receivea pint, serving as a fulcriiin to the lever 15.

On the middle of thislpin is turned a collar, one side of which setsagainst theprojecting piece, and on the ends of the pin are screwnuts,one of which confines the pin to the frame and the other keeps theleverin place. On the upper side of the bedpiece O,a little below thecentral point between the said ltwo arms is another piece W, extendingoutward horizontally about two inches long, through the end of which ahole is drilled vertically, through which the top of the lifting-rod C3,hereinafter described,works,whichlifting-rod also passes through a holemade verticallyin the lower arm. The said spindle 1 is about two feettwo inches long. On the upper end of the spindle is a journal q aboutfour inches long. Between the said arms, commencing at the upper journal,the spindle is one inch in diameter forten inches of its length.Near the journal, at the upper end, are a tight and loose pulley 16 and17, the upper pulley 16 being tight and the lower one loose, theremaining part of said spindle being five-eighths of an inch indiameter. On the lower end of the spindle is inserted a screw-driver 0c.Beneath the lower arm X of the frame, on the lower part of the spindle,a spiral spring t is wound around the spindle, bearing at its lowerextremity and acting on a wedge 5, while the upper end of the saidspiral spring acts against a collar on the spindle or a pin passingthrough it, which gives it more orless stiffness, as required. Thiswedge,

. before mentioned, is of the shape of the frustuin of an inverted conebored through vertically, in order that it may slide up and down on thespindle, according as the spiral spring is compressed or extended. 77represents two small curved levers, the concave sides being toward eachother and turning on pins 88 as fulcrums, the levers being placedbetween two cross-bars, which are fastened to the spindle. Thesecross-bars may be made separate and boxed into each side of the spindle,and through their centers a screw or rivet may pass to secure them; or,if the bars be made together, then let a hole be drilled through l thecenter of a piece of iron or steel of suitable size or length and letthe spindle pass through this hole and be fastened by a setscrew.The-ends of this piece of iron or steel are throated out for thereception of said levers, and near the ends of said piece holes aredrilled, in which pins are inserted for the fulorumsto the said levers.This is done whether the cross-bars are made separate or together.

These levers are so constructed that the extremities of their lower armsconstitute a pair of jaws or nippers, between which the head of thescrew is held'during the process of threading, while the extremities oftheir upper arms are ccnstaiitly made to press firmly against theconical wedge just described by means of the curved spring 9, attachedto these arms. These jaws are closed by means of the downward motion ofthe conical wedge forcing the upper extremities of the levers apart, andthey are opened as the wedge slides upward by the contraction of the.curved spring 9. 3 represents the said lifting-rod playing up and downthrough said oruiiicelor holes in the frame above, while below it 1sinserted into one end of the cross-head et, to which it is fastened bymeans of a set-screw. The other end of this cross-head is `throated outand let into a groove cut into the upper part of the conical wedgebefore described. 15 represents a lever turning on the aforesaidfulcrurn r and moved' by the foot of the operator, it being connectedwith said tre-adlennderneath the frame by means'of a connectingrod 33..This lever is attached to the liftingrod by a small crank 11, the upperextremity of which in the rise and fall of the lever performs a slightcurvilinear motion, the crank being made of two separate parts. Theupper part passing through the lever is in the shape of a knee at anangle of ninety degrees, the

other part being a collar through which the lifting-rod passes. The twoparts rare connected by a set-screw passing through the knee part andalso through the collar and setting or screwing against the lifting-rod3. As the lever 15 is raised by means of the treadle m, the lifting-rod3, by its connection with the cross-head 4, draws the conical wedge 5upward. This motion, in consequence of the stiffness of the spiralspring t, raises the whole spindle until it presses strongly against thestationary spindle-bar 2, when by increased pressure on the treadle mthe contraction of the spiral spring allows the coni-V cal wedge toslide upward on the spindle. This upward 4slide of the wedge occasionsthe opening of the jaws for the reception of the blank to be threaded.The pressure being then partially removed, the spiral spring extendsitself and drives the conical wedge downward, so as to close the jawsfirmly on the screw, while a weight 10, attached to the lever, pressesthe spindle down, at the same time causing the shifting of thepulley-band from the loose to the tight pulley 16. The spindle beingthus put in motionat a speed. of from twelve to fifteen hundredrevolutions per minute and its downward motion continuing, the pressureof the foot is graduallylessened until the screw reaches a pair ofcutting-dies s s, when it is entirely withdrawn. The distance to whichthe spindle descends is determined by a gage y, attached to it near itsupper extremity. This gage regulates the ydistance of descent by restingon the upper side of the upper arm X, since it is so constructed as toadmit of being fastened by a set-screw tothe spindlein any position thatthe length of the screw may require. The said weight 10, attached to thelever 15 and bearing down the spindle 1, is made to slide on the lever,being set to any convenient position on the lever by a set-screw, or aweight may be attached tothe lever in any other manner to suit the viewsof the operator, and if more convenient it may be carried down by aspring. When the threading of the screw is completed, the

spindle is restored to its former position byv renewing the pressure onthe treadle m, and the jaws 7 7\ being opened, as before, the screw 1sremoved. The tapering form of the screw is determined by a wedge-shapedgage 12, attached to the gage-rod, which has a vertical motion inconsequence of its connection With the lever. When the spindle is raisedup for v the reception of another screw 15, the gagerod is also raisedand kept to its proper place by means of a spring S. This gage 12 is ofa wedgeshape, being widest below. It acts in giving taper to the screwby adjusting or varying the distance of the dies s s from each otherduring the process of cutting the thread through the medium of the slide22, moving in the stationary frame V. This stationary frame V isfastened inside of the trough 30 so as t0 be partly in the liquid withwhich the trough is filled and resting on the ways o.' i, beforementioned. The frame is of iron, about eight inches square, and soconstructed as to be 011 theinside about siX inches by three inches. Thesaid slide 22 works on ways in the inside of the frame. The dies areround and work on centers, and the cen- `ters are screwed through theside of the said trame, at one end'of which lis placed a stationary dies. The other die s works on centers screwed through the said slide. Theslide is governed by a set-screw t, passing through the back side'ot`it, the'head of which said screw bears against the wedge-gage 12,'

so as to give the taper.

The above-described machinery for making screws may be all gearedtogether and operated simultaneously by the same power.

What we claim as our invention or improvement, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, isas follows: Y

1. In the machine for paring the head of the screw, the combination ofthe two levers C and K with the spring r, by which the blank is removedfrom the jaws of the spindle after th'e paring of the head is completed,as above described and set forth.

2. In the machine for nicking or scoring the screw, the lever e, towhich the face-plate f is attached, in combination with the lever O2 andtrip-lever h, for the purpose and in the manner described, and thesethus combined in combination'with the lever H for reengaging thetrip-lever h, as described.

3. In the machine for threading the screw, the manner of combining thegage 12, that operates the slide 22, with the spindle 1 by means of thelifting-rod 3, in manner substantially as described.

SIMEON BROOKS.

WILLIAM N. CLARK.

In presence of- ELY WARNER, JONATHAN WARNER.

